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Still Available, Still Elite

January 26, 2012

A breathtaking view from the Hotel Grande Bretagne

Even though we’ve been talking a lot lately about our newest hotel program, Stream, you should know that its older, fancier sibling, Hotel Elite, is still going and growing strong.

Thanks to Hotel Elite, you have 270 four- and five-star hotels, spas and resorts around the world ready to offer your clients a VIP welcome amenity and breakfast. And now, many of the properties will also offer bonus exclusives above and beyond the other amenities, including complimentary wine appreciation, free Wi-Fi and parking.

Soon you will receive our latest Hotel Elite directory, all 500 glorious pages of it. Keep this striking book out on your desk; your clients are going to love flipping through those pages, looking at all the elite properties where they will receive preferential treatment, all thanks to you.

And when it’s time to book, don’t forget to use the VHO rate code in your GDS, which is now linked to every single property in the Hotel Elite program.

Visit our dedicated Hotel Elite site to find an electronic version of the brochure (which you can customize and email), a full list of participating properties and a printable reference guide with booking instructions.

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These Voyages are Finger-Licking Good

January 19, 2012

Our Culinary Collection program provides a smorgasbord of epicurean delights for your food- and wine-enthusiastic clients, including cooking classes, wine and spirit tastings, 5-star meals and demonstrations from celebrity chefs onboard premium and luxury cruise lines.

So the next time a potential client starts talking about an incredible meal she had at some fancy-schmancy restaurant, or you see a man staring at a wine list more than his smartphone, whip out the 2012 Culinary Collection brochure and show them a cruise vacation that will surely make their mouths water.

What? You don’t have extra copies of the 2012 Culinary Collection brochure? Then double-click here as fast as you can to order your free copies today!

You should also visit the Culinary Collection page in AgentNet (under Cruise Space) to find even more marketing materials that you can customize with your agency’s contact info.

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Designed for You

January 12, 2012

Navigator NewsletterAs many of you surely noticed, the January edition of the Navigator member newsletter looked so stylish and glossy, you probably mistook if for Vogue. Not only did it get a much-needed facelift, but we also added a few new sections.

One such new section, called Business Boost, will cover marketing and branding best practices to create a 2.0 version of your business. It’s penned by the design siren herself, Vacation.com’s illustrious Creative Director Kerin Kolonoskie, and it will cover logos, basic design, websites, social media and more.

The January edition of Business Boost focused on general branding principles and the importance of having a logo. Look forward to the February issue, which will explain why certain companies opt for the colors they do.

We highly recommend you read this delightful and insightful section every month! As an added bonus, you can ask Kerin any design-related questions at kkolonoskie@vacation-corp.com.

For those who did read it, what did you think about the first installment?

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Watch Your Profits Soar Up, Up, Up

January 5, 2012

Profitable Air ProgramEvery agency owner wants to improve his or her business year after year. To do so, they often create a checklist of actionable items that, once accomplished, should lead to a bigger, brighter and more profitable future.

For Vacation.com members, number one on your agency-improvement checklist should be using AirPRO.

No other Vacation.com program can make a bigger, brighter, more profitable impact for your agency than AirPRO. Each of our three distinct AirPRO programs—Prime, Direct and Excel—includes dozens of airlines standing by to pay you up to 11% commission.

Plus, AirPRO gives you the ability to add profit-boosting service fees, which, according to ASTA, 91% of travel agents are already charging at an average of $36 per air booking.

Register today and check AirPRO off your list. To find out which program your agency belongs in, visit our dedicated AirPRO site. 

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What are Your Vcom Resolutions?

December 28, 2011

Have a Profitable 2012 with Vacation.com

Making New Years resolutions is a fun opportunity to take a good, hard look at where we personally stand and make life-improving adjustments. Each year we pledge to eat healthier, smoke less, laugh more and become the person we want to be—and then spend the next 12 months trying to stick to the plan.

Creating such goals can also benefit your agency. The end of the year is a great time to reflect upon where your agency has been and where you want it to go. Then you can make a list of your agency’s New Year’s resolutions—things you want to accomplish to help your agency become the business you want it to be.

To start that list, think of all the Vcom-related resolutions you can make to improve your agency: use Engagement more, sell a new Preferred Supplier or focus more on a particularly profitable one, try out new programs like AirPRO and In-Sites, or attend more webinars at the Agent Advancement Center.

Think of this list as a basic marketing plan for your agency’s overall well-being. Once created, prominently display it in your office for all to see.

What kind of resolutions will your agency make for 2012? Tell us in the comments! 

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Ho Ho Ha

December 21, 2011

All of us at Vacation.com sincerely hope that you and your family have a holly, jolly holiday season. However you celebrate, whichever traditions you traditionally follow, we know—since our members have been so good all year long—that you’ll receive all the gifts, glad tidings and eggnog you desire.

But really, what more could you possibly desire? In the last year alone, Vacation.com has given you everything a travel agent could possibly want, including AirPRO, In-Sites and Stream, along with enhanced versions of our Engagement and Cruise Space programs.

So when the holiday rush is over, and you suddenly realize that all the gifts you received are nothing more than fleeting glimpses of an unrealized and unobtainable ideal of happiness, don’t fret. Remember, you still have us.

On a serious note, we hope all Vacation.com members have a happy holiday season filled with warmth, peace and laughter, along with a successful 2012 filled with record-breaking Preferred Supplier sales!

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Where in the World is Vacation.com?

December 14, 2011
Vacation.com Navigator Contest

This is not John Lovell

Starting in the January edition of Navigator, we will begin a new monthly contest wherein you, good members, can attempt to guess the locale of vacation photos from Vacation.com staffers.

To give you a taste of the contest, can anyone guess the exact spot Vacation.com President John Lovell took the picture above? Guesses can be made in the comments section of this post or sent to navigator@vacation-corp.com.

Every member who guesses correctly will be entered into a quarterly drawing to win a free lunch or dinner with John Lovell in your hometown! 

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Tell Them Why

December 7, 2011

Travel agents are asked all sorts of questions: Will my balcony cabin be above the water? Do I need a passport to go to Hawaii? Can I feed the polar bears by hand? And, of course, why should I use a travel professional?

The reasons for using a travel professional are obvious to some: for expert insights, to save time and money, to personalize a vacation and to have assistance before, during and after the trip. Obvious to some, but some people obliviously don’t get it.

Which is why you should tell them the truth. To help you do just that, Vacation.com has created flyers and Web pages to help you explain the value of a travel agent. The materials are available in different versions for traditional agencies, cruise-only agencies and home-based or independent agents.

You can—in fact, you should!—download and print as many flyers as you wish, which you can customize with your agency’s name and logo. We also have the files necessary for you to add this information as a new page to your agency’s website. Instructions are provided for customizing both the flyers and Web page.

In AgentNet, under the Marketing tab, you’ll find a link for “Why Use a Travel Professional Marketing Materials” at the bottom. Click that link, download the materials, tell the world.

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The Internet is Now Yours to Conquer

November 30, 2011

It’s official! In-Sites—our newest Web-conquering, crowd-pleasing, profit-boosting member benefit—are up, running and available to members!

These sleek, professionally-designed mini-sites are seamlessly embedded into your agency’s existing website to showcase your expertise in six topics.

Two of those topics—European Cruising & Alaska—are now available, with the remaining four—Luxury Vacations, European Vacations, the Caribbean and Exotic Destinations—coming in early 2012.

Branded with your agency’s info, In-Sites open from your existing website with just one click to instantly engage consumers online and drive them to contact your agency to make the purchase.

Participating is super-easy: once installed, you do not have to do anything since the content is automatically refreshed with current products, promotions and news.

For more information and to register, visit www.insitesinfo.com.

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We Give Thanks

November 23, 2011

Vacation.com is thankfulEven though our industry is based on glamorous, international treks to the far corners of the world, sometimes the best vacations are the simpler ones we take to be with our families for the holidays.

Whether your Thanksgiving journey involves a flight from a packed terminal, a four-hour car ride on a busy interstate or just a leisurely stroll down the street, we hope you arrive safe and sound.

All of us at Vacation.com would like to give thanks to our members, our Preferred Supplier partners and everyone else in our big, wonderful family.

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